• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds

Mayor Beehan won’t seek re-election to City Council

Posted at 1:44 pm August 20, 2014
By John Huotari 3 Comments

Tom Beehan and Gary Wade

Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, left, is pictured above earlier this month with Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Gary Wade at Razzleberry’s Ice Cream Lab and Kitchen. Beehan will not seek re-election to Oak Ridge City Council in November.

 

Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, who has served on the City Council since 2001, will not seek re-election in November.

Beehan said he has been considering whether to run “for some time,” and he announced his decision to not seek re-election on Wednesday. Before making the decision, Beehan said, he wanted to be sure that quality candidates with a vision for the city’s future were ready to run.

“It’s clear that there are candidates who have the vision and ability to serve the community on City Council,” Beehan said in a press release. “I have enjoyed serving Oak Ridge as mayor and as a City Council member, but I think it is time for new leadership to take a fresh look at moving Oak Ridge forward.”

Beehan said he has spent 20 years as an elected official in local government in Oak Ridge and in Covington, Kentucky—before his family moved to Oak Ridge.

“I consider this a retirement from public service as an elected official, but I plan to continue to be engaged in community activities,” Beehan said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Anne Garcia Garland, Betsy Coleman Realty, City Council, David Mosby, economic development, elected official, entrepreneurs, housing, Jane Miller, leadership, Mark Watson, mayor, mayor pro tem, municipal election, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge City Council, public service, re-election, Ridge City Ramblers, safe neighborhoods, schools, small business, Tennessee Municipal League, Tom Beehan

Thursday deadline to qualify for municipal elections across Anderson County

Posted at 1:59 pm August 15, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Vote Logo

Thursday is the deadline to qualify for municipal elections across Anderson County, and so far, there appears to be a mix of incumbents and newcomers in Oak Ridge, Clinton, Rocky Top (Lake City), Norris, and Oliver Springs.

Eleven people, including the four incumbents, have expressed an interest in running for four seats on Oak Ridge City Council in November, and seven candidates have qualified so far.

Meanwhile, three people, including one incumbent, have qualified to run for three seats on the Oak Ridge Board of Education. A total of nine potential candidates, including the three who have qualified, have picked up petitions to run for Oak Ridge school board.

The November 4 election is the last in a series of three elections this year. The deadline to qualify is noon Thursday, August 21. A candidate needs 25 verified signatures on a nomination petition to qualify.

Those who have qualified to run for Oak Ridge City Council are: [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, 2014 Election, Clinton, Education, Government, K-12, Lake City, Norris, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Aditya "Doc" Savara, Anderson County, Andrew Howard, Andrew Howe, Anne Garcia Garland, Becky Lindsay, Bill Grieve, Bob Eby, borrowing, Brian Brown, Brian Hatmaker, Cassandra Mitchell, Chris Mitchell, Chuck Fleischmann, Clinton, Clinton Board of Education, Clinton City Council, Clinton mayor, Curtis Isabell, Dan DiGregorio, David Mosby, Denise Casteel, Donald R. Douglas, E.T. Stamey, Ellen Smith, Eric Tobler, Gary Mullins, Jack Black, Jane Miller, Jeffery Bass, Jenny Richter, Jo-Ann Fehr, Kelly Callison, Lake City, Laura Bowles, Laurie Paine, Loretta Painter, Marian Wildgruber, Mary Headrick, Maurice Walker, Melanie Heiberg, Michael Lovely, Mike Mahathy, municipal elections, Natalie Erb, Nathan Benson, Norris, Norris City Council, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge City Council, Oliver Springs, Paige Marshall, Pamela Brown, Peter Sexton, Rick Chinn, Robert Miller, Rocky Top, Rocky Top City Council, Rocky Top mayor, Ronald Young, Satchidanand Marathe, Scott Burton, Ted Phillips, Timothy Bible, Timothy Sharp, Tom Beehan, U.S. House of Representatives, Warren Gooch, York Haverkamp, Zach Farrar

Spotlight: Y-12 employees bike to work for National Bike Month

Posted at 1:28 pm June 19, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Y-12 Employees Bike to Work

Seven Y‑12 employees biked to work from Oak Ridge on May 22 in recognition of National Bike Month. From left to right are Jay Snyder, Uvalde Mendez, Stephen Charles, Todd Mills, Susan Baker, David Mosby, and Libby Clemens. (Photo by Kathy Fahey)

 

Seven Y‑12 National Security Complex employees biked to work from Oak Ridge on May 22 in recognition of National Bike Month.

Jay Snyder coordinated the ride with LiveWise, Industrial Safety and Safeguards, Security and Emergency Services to ensure all safety rules and procedures were followed.

The group is committed to bike to work at least one day each month during the summer and fall months.

Filed Under: Honors and Spotlight, National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: bike to work, David Mosby, Jay Snyder, Libby Clemens, National Bike Month, Stephen Charles, Susan Baker, Todd Mills, Uvalde Mendez, Y‑12 National Security Complex

City to use traffic camera money for parking lot work at Blankenship Field

Posted at 2:57 pm May 22, 2014
By John Huotari 9 Comments

Red-light Camera at Oak Ridge Turnpike and New York Avenue

The Oak Ridge City Council agreed last week to use $180,000 in traffic camera money for improvements to the lower parking at Blankenship Field.

 

The Oak Ridge City Council agreed last week in a 5-2 vote to use $180,000 in traffic camera money for improvements to the lower parking lot at Blankenship Field, which is used for football games and high school graduation.

The request from Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan was reviewed at a City Council work session on April 28.

The work could include resurfacing work at the lower parking lot and access to the lower levels and visitors bleachers under the American with Disabilities Act. The project has been reviewed by the city staff, and it could include resurfacing, ADA improvements, handicapped parking, and new pavement and striping.

The work would complement a project to replace the demolished visitors bleachers at Blankenship Field, a $455,000 project that was unanimously approved by the Oak Ridge Board of Education in March. The bleachers had been deemed unsafe, and school officials are hoping to replace them before the first home football game on Aug. 29. The school board agreed to use the school system’s fund balance to pay for the replacement bleachers. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Government, Government, High School, K-12, Middle School, Oak Ridge, Slider, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: ADA, American with Disabilities Act, Anne Garcia Garland, Blankenship Field, Blankenship Revitalization Committee, bleachers, Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, David Mosby, football games, high school graduation, Jackson Square, Jackson Square revitalization, Jane Miller, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge City Council, parking, parking lot, pavement, Redflex Traffic Systems, Tom Beehan, traffic cameras, Trina Baughn, visitors bleachers

Lee keeps seat on housing board despite Council member’s removal request

Posted at 8:51 pm April 14, 2014
By John Huotari 27 Comments

Anne Garcia Garland, Trina Baughn, and Chuck Hope

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday rejected a request to remove resident Joe Lee from a city housing board. Pictured above at left is Council member Anne Garcia Garland, who made the request. Also pictured are Council members Trina Baughn and Chuck Hope.

Note: This story was last updated at 11:20 p.m.

Those who wanted to remove Joe Lee from a municipal housing board said he had shown contempt for Oak Ridge City Council members, insulted traffic camera critics, embarrassed the city, and bullied others.

But those who wanted to keep him on the board said Lee ought to be given a second chance. They said he had performed well on the board—the Oak Ridge Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals—particularly when considering the city’s code violation cases against the Applewood Apartments.

On Monday, the Oak Ridge City Council rejected the request to remove Lee from the board. The proposal failed in a 2-4 vote.

Voting in favor of the removal were Council members Anne Garcia Garland and Trina Baughn. Voting against it were Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller and Council members Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, and David Mosby. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Anne Garcia Garland, Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, David Mosby, Jane Miller, Joe Lee, Oak Ridge Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals, Oak Ridge City Council, Tom Beehan, Trina Baughn

Spotlight: Eight Y-12 employees awarded master’s in engineering management

Posted at 10:42 pm March 28, 2014
By Y-12 National Security Complex Leave a Comment

Y-12 National Security Complex Aerial View

Eight employees at the Y‑12 National Security Complex, pictured above, recently earned a master’s in industrial engineering with a concentration in engineering management at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Eight employees at the Y‑12 National Security Complex recently earned a master’s in industrial engineering with a concentration in engineering management at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Students pursuing this degree complete the 16-course, four-semester program as an ensemble, attending all-day Friday classes not held on the university campus.

“This particular program is one of the success stories of the Y‑12/University of Tennessee Partnership,” reported Debbie Reed, Y‑12’s UT liaison director. “But setting up the program was the easy part. Being a nontraditional student isn’t easy. Anyone who works full-time and still has the discipline and drive to take on college studies deserves special recognition. Putting in a 4/10 workweek and then taking another full day of classes—along with doing the homework that comes with those classes—that’s a lot of extra effort.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Honors and Spotlight, National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Carl Quinn, David Mosby, Debbie Reed, Drew VanDeGriff, engineering management, Julie Cramer, Kevin Cress, Marvin Lowery, Syreeta Vaughn, University of Tennessee, UT, Uvalde Mendez, Y-12 National Security Complex

Council does not extend traffic camera contract

Posted at 8:58 pm March 24, 2014
By Sara Wise 7 Comments

Traffic Camera at Oak Ridge Turnpike and New York Avenue

The Oak Ridge City Council did not extend the traffic camera contract with Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. of Phoenix, Ariz., on Monday, and the current five-year contract expires April 21.

Note: This story was last updated at 8:30 a.m. March 25.

After five years, some vigorous opposition, and a few contentious meetings, the traffic cameras in Oak Ridge will be removed. The Oak Ridge City Council did not extend the five-year contract with the camera vendor, Redflex Traffic Systems, on Monday.

The vote to extend the contract for two years with a few changes was 3-4.

Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller, and Council member Charlie Hensley voted in favor of the extension. Council members Trina Baughn, Anne Garcia Garland, Chuck Hope, and David Mosby voted “no.” The current contract expires April 21.

Among the proposed changes, if an extension had been granted, were mobile units, different camera locations, and a new revenue split between the city and Redflex.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Anne Garcia Garland, Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, citations, David Mosby, Jane Miller, Jody Ryan, Joseph Lee, Miriam Wildgrouper, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Turnpike, red light cameras, Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., Sharon Crane, speed limit, Tom Beehan, traffic cameras, Trina Baughn

School Board, City Council resolve high school debt dispute

Posted at 10:57 am March 10, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge City Council and Board of Education

A proposal to resolve a dispute over sales tax revenues and high school debt appeared to have majority support during a non-voting joint work session of Oak Ridge City Council and Board of Education on Friday.

Despite opposition from a few residents and municipal officials, the Oak Ridge City Council and Board of Education have resolved a dispute over Anderson County sales tax revenues and debt payments for the $66 million renovation of Oak Ridge High School.

The dispute, which started several years ago, centered on how to use the Oak Ridge school system’s portion of Anderson County sales tax revenues generated by a tax increase approved by county voters in a 2006 referendum. School officials had argued that they could keep their share of the revenues generated in the county outside of Oak Ridge, while city officials had said all the revenues, whether collected inside the city or outside of it, should be used for high school debt payments.

A resolution unanimously approved by the school board in February and the City Council in a 5-2 vote on Monday, March 3, allows the schools to keep its portion of the new Anderson County revenues collected outside the city. However, the resolution spells out how the money has to be spent: on technology enhancements, debt reduction, capital repairs and equipment, and grant matches and innovative educational projects. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Government, Government, K-12, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anne Garcia Garland, Bruce Borchers, capital improvements program, Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, CIP, David Mosby, debt payments, high school debt, high school renovations, Jane Miller, Kroger Marketplace, mall redevelopment, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge High School, referendum, Roane County School Board, sales tax revenues, school board, tax increase, Tom Beehan, Trina Baughn, uranium processing facility

Council postpones traffic camera vote

Posted at 10:20 pm March 3, 2014
By John Huotari 6 Comments

Red-light Camera at Oak Ridge Turnpike and New York Avenue

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday postponed a decision on whether to extend or terminate a five-year contract with its traffic camera vendor.

Note: This story was last updated at 11:40 a.m. March 4.

The Oak Ridge City Council postponed a vote on traffic cameras on Monday. Council had been expected to either extend the five-year contract with the camera vendor, Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. of Arizona, or terminate it.

But council member Chuck Hope had to leave unexpectedly, and it wasn’t clear that there would be a majority to either extend the contract for two years or end it. That meant that both resolutions could have failed in 3-3 votes.

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said the contract could now be discussed during a March 24 special meeting or during the regular April meeting. But the current contract expires April 21. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Anne Garcia Garland, camera locations, Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, contract, David Mosby, Fourth Amendment, Jane Miller, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge City Council, red light cameras, Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., revenues, safety, Tom Beehan, traffic cameras, Trina Baughn

Guest column: The Oak Ridge High School debt chronicles

Posted at 11:23 pm February 26, 2014
By Trina Baughn 9 Comments

Trina Baughn

Trina Baughn

The Oak Ridge High School Debt Chronicles—How a $40 Million Project Will Cost Taxpayers Over $126 Million (So Far) 

It appears that the nearly three-year long debate between the Oak Ridge City Council and the Board of Education (BOE) over who owes what on the high school renovation project—the single largest financial expenditure that this city has ever made—is about to be resolved once and for all (or so some hope). To many, this will provide a welcomed relief. For all, it will once again extend and increase a debt obligation far beyond what anyone ever imagined.

Just over one week after the initial public revealing, council will vote on a resolution to end the debate on the high school mortgage issue. The root problem that this resolution will address is not ambiguity in the 2004 referendum or in any “gentlemen’s agreements.” No, the reason that this resolution is necessary, according to the fifth “Whereas,” is “changing community economics and increasing educational needs.”  The need for this resolution, which will violate the original understanding and intent of the 2004 referendum, boils down to an implied need by the Oak Ridge schools for more money.

If passed, this resolution will allow the BOE to retain the portion of the half-cent sales tax revenues collected outside of the City of Oak Ridge and will accomplish the following: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns Tagged With: Anderson County, Angi Agle, Anne Garcia Garland, BOE, Bruce Borchers, Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, Dan DiGregorio, David Bradshaw, David Mosby, debt, debt repayment, Ellen Smith, gentlemen's agreements, high school debt, high school mortgage, high school renovation, Jane Miller, Janice McGinnis, Jenny Richter, John Smith, Keys Fillauer, Leonard Abbatiello, Louise Dunlap, maintenance of effort, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge High School, ORHS, principal, referendum, resolution, sales tax increase, sales tax revenues, Tom Bailey, Tom Beehan, Tom Hayes, Tracy Larabee, Trina Baughn, Willie Golden

Knoxville Council member featured at MLK breakfast Monday

Posted at 12:10 am January 17, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Daniel T. Brown

Daniel T. Brown

A Martin Luther King Fellowship Breakfast on Monday morning will feature Knoxville City Council member Daniel T. Brown.

It’s the 26th annual breakfast, and it’s sponsored by the Atomic City Sportsmen Club. The program starts at 8 a.m. Monday at the East Tennessee Family Services Building at 1660 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Brown is a Knoxville native and a graduate of Austin High School. He graduated from Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in history. He is a Vietnam veteran and received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, a press release said. Brown retired from the U.S. Postal Service. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News Tagged With: Daniel T. Brown, David Mosby, Knoxville City Council, Martin Luther King Fellowship Breakfast, Martin Luther King Jr.

City officials clash over Secret City Festival spending costs

Posted at 11:33 pm December 12, 2013
By John Huotari 14 Comments

Rick Springfield at Secret City Festival

The Rick Springfield concert at the Secret City Festival in June was the largest ever for the annual festival, an organizer said.

Debate over the costs of the Secret City Festival—and whether the city can afford a $160,000 “party” every year—was briefly renewed again on Monday.

The sometimes-rancorous debate came up as the Oak Ridge City Council considered whether to approve two resolutions laying the financial foundation for the June 2014 festival.

Early in the debate, Oak Ridge City Council member Trina Baughn moved to reallocate the Secret City Festival money and use it instead for a school resource officer in each middle school, or two SROs total.

But Council member Charlie Hensley said Baughn was essentially asking the city to take money it would collect from festival sponsors and use it instead for SROs.

“I think that’s fraudulent,” Hensley said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Government, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Anne Garcia Garland, Arts Council of Oak Ridge, Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, David Mosby, employee hours, fees, festival sponsors, Jane Miller, Josh Collins, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, sales, school resource officer, Secret City Festival, sponsorships, SRO, Tom Beehan, Trina Baughn

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Search Oak Ridge Today

Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

Recent Posts

  • Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival Announces 2025 Storytellers
  • Laser-Engraved Bricks Will Line Walkway of New Chamber Headquarters
  • Democratic Women’s Club to Discuss Climate Change, Energy and Policy
  • Estate Jewelry Show at Karen’s Jewelers Features Celebrity Jewelry
  • Keri Cagle named new ORAU senior vice president and ORISE director
  • ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 goal+ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 goal More than $1 million raised in past 10 years benefits United Way and Community Shares Oak Ridge, Tenn. —ORAU exceeded its goal of raising $100,000 in donations as part of its internal annual giving campaign that benefits the United Way and Community Shares nonprofit organizations. ORAU has raised more than $1 million over the past 10 years through this campaign. A total of $126,839 was pledged during the 2024 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign. Employees donate via payroll deduction and could earmark their donation for United Way, Community Shares or both. “ORAU has remained a strong pillar in the community for more than 75 years, and we encourage our employees to consider participating in our annual giving campaign each year to help our less fortunate neighbors in need,” said ORAU President and CEO Andy Page. “Each one of our employees has the power to positively impact the lives of those who need help in the communities where we do business across the country and demonstrate the ORAU way – taking care of each other.” ORAU, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, provides science, health and workforce solutions that address national priorities and serve the public interest. Through our specialized teams of experts and access to a consortium of more than 150 major Ph.D.-granting institutions, ORAU works with federal, state, local and commercial customers to provide innovative scientific and technical solutions and help advance their missions. ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org. Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakRidgeAssociatedUniversities Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/orau Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orau ###
  • Children’s Museum Gala Celebrates the Rainforest
  • Jim Sears joins ORAU as senior vice president
  • Oak Ridge Housing Authority Receives Funding Assistance of up to $51.8 Million For Renovating Public Housing and Building New Workforce Housing
  • Two fires reported early Friday

Recent Comments

  • Raymond Mitchell on City manager’s ‘State of the City’ canceled due to weather
  • Raymond Mitchell on City manager’s ‘State of the City’ canceled due to weather
  • Mysti M Desilva on Crews clearing roads, repairing water line breaks
  • Mel Schuster on Crews clearing roads, repairing water line breaks
  • Cecil King on Crews clearing roads, repairing water line breaks
  • Rick Morrow on Roads, schools, businesses closed after heavy snow
  • Diana lively on Free community Thanksgiving Dinner on Nov. 25
  • Anne Garcia on School bus driver arrested following alleged assault on elementary student
  • Raymond Dickover on Blockhouse Valley Recycling Center now open 6 days per week
  • Mike Mahathy on School bus driver arrested following alleged assault on elementary student

Copyright © 2025 Oak Ridge Today